SHARJAH, They say music is the food of the soul and this unusual initiative by the Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services is clearly connecting souls and transforming lives.
The Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services, SCHS, conducted a workshop on its much-acclaimed Music Therapy Programme for disabled people, including children, on the sidelines of the UAE Innovation Month in Sharjah being celebrated from 15th to 21st February across the emirate.
The workshop held at Al Majaz Waterfront featured an introduction to the concept of treatment through music followed by three rounds of music therapy by a group of South Korean experts.
As part of the session, the music therapists made disabled people, including the excited members of the audience, sing along and play various musical instruments, helping them lower their social inhibitions and bond with each other.
SCHS is the first institution in the United Arab Emirates to incorporate music therapy in its educational, training, and rehabilitation system. The organisation has been using the therapy since 2014 and has so far successfully trained seven batches of disabled people as well its own staff, inviting all-round praise.
Noor Ali Al Noman, Director of the Department of eGovernment, DeG, who was happy to be part of the workshop, lauded the SCHS’ efforts and adoption of creative thinking in providing its services, pointing to the importance of using music therapy, which has been proved successful in the treatment of numerous cases.
The Director of DeG praised the participation of various government entities in the UAE Innovation Month in Sharjah, reflecting their keenness to keep up with the country’s progress in instilling a culture of innovation among institutions and individuals and developing their work to reflect the UAE’s vision.
Khadija Bamakhramah, Head of Planning and General Supervisor of the Music Therapy Programme at the SCHS, emphasised the importance of the Music Therapy Programme in helping students with disabilities to develop their sensory, cognitive, and motor skills by incorporating music therapy techniques as the most advanced therapy.
The SCHS strives to create ideal circumstances in order for its teachers and specialists to offer music therapy services to persons with disabilities, she added.
Source: Emirates News Agency